Curated OER
Thanksgiving Traditions
Everyone celebrates traditions in different ways. Young writers share the ways their families celebrate Thanksgiving with a journal writing prompt and discussion activity.
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Improvisational Setting - "Where are You?"
Second graders explore setting through improvisations. For this theatre lesson, 2nd graders perform a variety of improvisations in different settings and chart how they established the setting in the different environments.
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What is a Tangram?
Students identify a tangram. In this geometry lesson, students read Grandfather Tang's Story and retell each story using the tangrams on a flannel board. Students use tangrams to complete an included worksheet.
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Rather Cut a Little
Students create podcasts of Measure for Measure. In this Measure for Measure instructional activity, students decide which lines are the most important and edit scenes to create a shorter version of the play that includes the...
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How Can We Write A Story Using Dr. Seuss' Writing and Illustration Style?
Students write a story. In this writing style and illustration lesson, students review elements of Dr. Seuss' writing and illustration style and read a few more books written by him, examining the writing style. Students work...
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Cassie's Timeline
Fourth graders read Cassie's Journey: Going West in the 1860's. In this pioneer literature activity, 4th graders develop a timeline of the major happenings in the story by creating a timeline. Students discuss new discoveries about the...
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Graphic Organizer Lesson
Students investigate how to use graphic organizers. In this literary elements lesson, students are introduced to several types of graphic organizers and their purpose. Students read a book of their choice and complete a graphic organizer...
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Family Money Matters: Exploring the World of Economics
Students become familiar with vocabulary related to spending money. In this economics lesson, students participate in activities to learn about spending money and budgets.
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To Be Or Not To Be... (Hamlet)
Students complete a unit of lessons on William Shakespeare's Hamlet. They analyze the plot, themes, and characterization, relate songs to thematic issues, develop plot summaries and translations, and compare the play to a movie version.
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Storytelling
Students compose a story and tell it to the class. In this storytelling lesson, students work in small groups to create an illustrated story. Students are given a checklist of elements to include in the...
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Independent Reading Responses
Students participate in independent reading activities by reading a book at their independent reading level and selecting activities to complete after reading. Activities are broken up into C Level, B Level, and A Level activities.
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Making the World A More Beautiful Place: Earth Day
Students study ways to take care of the environment as part of an Earth Day activity. In this environment lesson plan, student listen to a read aloud of Barbara Cooney's, Miss Rumphius, before discussing how she works alone but is part...
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Protest Art in Pre-Revolutionary Russia
Students study the social class conflicts that existed during the Russian Revolution by reading the short stories of Anton Chekov and Leo Tolstoy. They analyze the stories to find criticisms of pre-Revolutionary Russia before designing...
Orange County Department of Education
Dear Mr. Henshaw
Fifth graders read Dear Mr. Henshaw and identify the character trait of self-respect as exhibited by Leigh throughout the story. They evaluate the author's use of letters to tell the story and discuss how the story would be different if...
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The Little Hungry Caterpillar
Students discuss "The Little Hungry Caterpillar." In this reading comprehension lesson plan, students make sock caterpillars used in retelling the story so as sequence the events accurately.
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Editing the Conspiracy: Julius Caesar
Students practice close reading skills to edit the text of Julius Caesar as they read. They identify the features of the conspiracy. They discuss use of image of dark and light in the text.
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Out of the Dust
Students create a poem that expresses the physical and emotional turmoil of living through the Dust Bowl. For this Out of the Dust lesson, students research facts about the time period and discuss the cause-effect patterns...
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Come On, Rain!
Students read and analyze the story. In this language arts lesson, students read Come on, Rain! and examine how mood and tone are created, the use of figurative language and the characteristics of the genre. Students research the...
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Romeo and Juliet
Students read Romeo and Juliet and then write an essay from the point of either Lord Capulet or Friar Lawrence persuading someone to adopt their views concerning marriage.
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From Seeds to Plants
Second graders review the process of plant reproduction and the role of seeds in that process. The students dissect a seed, analyze their finds, collect and record data, and make predictions about seed germination and plant growth.
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Literature of the Islands and the Sea
Students read an age-appropriate novel in which an island setting plays an important role from a provided list. This will help them understand life on an island. They will analyze the plot, theme, characterization, setting, and style...
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Creative Autobiography
Students brainstorm and outline ideas for their autobiography. They begin composition of it as well. Students create a timeline of important events to help them get started and discuss the elements of a what makes a good story.
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Nature’s Fury—Myths and Drama
Fifth graders explore the elements of theatre. For this dramatic performances lesson, 5th graders discuss the structural elements of theatre and dramatize "The Origins of the Season," an explanation myth.
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Acting Like a Bunch of Animals: Fables and Human
The video "The Tales of Aesop" traces for viewers the history of fables and identifies their characteristics. The class then goes to the web site "The Fisherman and the Little Fish" where they examine the classic and a modern version of...